Setting Up the SwiftK12 Standalone Sync Tool

What does the SwiftK12 Sync Tool do?

The SwiftK12 sync tool is a desktop application that takes an export from a SIS (Student Information System) and automatically imports it into SwiftK12. 

When using SwiftK12 Standalone with the sync tool, the user will also only use their SIS's web portal for parent/guardian data management, enabling their parents to have a one stop data entry experience.

In other words, when using the sync tool, data (first name, last name, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.) should only be updated in your SIS and not directly into SwiftK12, as all inputted data directly into SwiftK12 would be overwritten on the next sync.

There are a few steps in the setup of the SwiftK12 Sync App. Once complete, it will run automatically:

1. You must set up 2 separate .csv exports (Students and Staff) from your SIS and point those exports to a designated folder (created by the sync tool) on your computer or server.  In order for full automation to occur, you must set up this export to be automatically exported to the respective sync folder on an interval which best suits your school's needs.
   • There are minimum required fields for Students and Staff exports; however more fields can be used such as bus routes, homeroom numbers, etc. depending on your needs.  The minimum required fields for each export are as follows:
   • Important: .CSV exports from your SIS must always be exported with the same name every time.  This will allow the sync tool to process the file.
     • Students
       • First Name (a combined first and last name field is also allowed)
       • Last Name
       • Student ID (If no student ID field is available choose a field that has a unique number identifier)
       • School Name
       • Grade
       • Phone number fields
       • Email address fields
     • Staff
       • First Name (a combined first and last name field is also allowed)
       • Last Name
       • Staff ID (If no student ID field is available choose a field that has a unique number identifier)
       • School Name
       • Phone number fields
       • Email address fields
   • The column headers/fields used must be identical to the column headers/fields used in your initial csv import of your data.
     • If you would like to add or remove column headers/fields at any point, please contact Support (info at the very bottom) to have them remap your account as a whole.  This would require you sending a csv with the new fields removed or added to the Support team, and using those column headers/fields in all future csv exports from your SIS.
2. Install the SwiftK12 sync app on a computer that is very rarely turned off.  In order for the customer SIS to export a csv to the computer, it must be turned on.  Also, in order for the sync tool to process the .csv the computer that the sync tool is installed on must be on.  The sync app must also have access to the internet. 
   • If you are using a server or virtual machine and would prefer to install the sync app as a service instead of an application, please contact Support.
3. The steps to install and configure the sync tool for student and staff data are as follows:
   • Login to https://k12.swiftreach.com
   • Go to “Settings”
     
     
     
     
   • On the bottom right of the screen click on “Download Desktop Sync App”
     
     
     
     
   • Click the “For Windows” or “For Macintosh” button depending on the type of the computer you are installing the tool on.
     
     
     
     
   • On the bottom of the screen you will see the file download.
     
     
     
     
   • Once download is complete, run the .exe file.
   • The tool will run and installation progress bar, once the sync tool has completed the installation process, the installation window will disappear, and the sync tool “Register App” screen will appear.
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • Login to the sync tool using the same credential you use to login to K12. (Note: the user must have access to all the school they wish to sync.)  Click the “Register App” button to continue.
   • A pop up window will appear letting you know the registration was successful.  Click the “continue button” to continue to the setup phase.
     
     
     
     
   • You are now on the “Set Root File Folder & Error Email” page.
   • You can opt to keep the Folder Path (root folder) the desktop or choose a different root folder to add the sync tool folders to.  (We recommend leaving the Folder path (root folder) in its default location (C:\Users\%Username%\Desktop).
   • Enter the email address to which you would like to receive an email if any errors occur in the future with the sync process. And click the “Save & Continue” button.
     
     
     
     
   • At this point you will notice a folder called [swiftk12-sync-files] has appeared at the root location chosen in the last step.  (The users desktop by default).
   • When you open the folder you will see 6 sub-folders.  Each folder corresponds to a different sync function with the sync tool.
     
     
     
     
   • Students: This would be the folder that you would set your SIS up to automatically export the student .csv export to.
     • Please do not add or remove any fields from the export csvs.  Our system maps these fields specifically and they must be identical at all times. 
     • If you would like to add or remove column headers/fields at any point, please contact support to have them remap your account as a whole.  This would require you  sending a csv with the new fields removed or added to support and using those column headers/fields in all future csv exports from your SIS.
   • Go back to the SwiftK12 Sync Tool interface, you are now in the [Alerts List & Configuration] screen of the sync tool.
   • On this page you will see on the top left what school you are in, most schools will start in the “District Office” by default.
   • While in the District Office you will see 2 tabs; “Students” and “Staff”.
     • These are the 2 areas that will show the file location of the folder you are sending the csv exports from your SIS to, as well as, the file name the sync tool is looking for to process the sync.
     • It is important to not change the location of the file, as the sync tool uses this location specifically to process the csv file.
       
       
       
       
     • If you have renamed your csv export from your SIS to something other than the default “students.csv” or “staff.csv”, you'll need to put that file into the students or staff folder and then click on the “Update” button and choose that file.
       
       
       
       
   • At this point your sync tool is set up for Students and Staff.  From now on, whenever a .csv file of the correct name is added to the respective folders (Students, Staff, Etc.), the sync tool will automatically process the update.
     
     
     
     
   • If the sync is successful, you should be able to see a Successful current sync status 
     
     
     
     
   • If it failed for any reason, you should see a message with an option to view the error.
     
     
     
     Regardless, if you don't see any change to the Current Sync Status within a couple minutes, click the refresh button:
     
     
     
     
   • If the file is successful, the sync tool will create a "success" folder in the students folder (if one does not already exist) and it will put the file you imported into that folder. It will be renamed as <original filename>.<YYYYMMDDHHMMSS>.
   • Similarly, if the file is not successful, the sync tool will create an "error" folder in the students folder (if one does not already exist) and it will put the file you imported into that folder. It will be renamed exactly the same way as it would if it landed in the success folder.
     
     
4. If you would like to add automated syncs for any of your automated alerts, those would show up for each of the schools that have the automated alerts set up ahead of time in the SwiftK12 application. In other words, you need to have automated alerts set to go out periodically in SwiftK12 first. The sync tool does not launch automated alerts. They allow you a means of loading a recipient file ahead of time that the SwiftK12 automated alert will later use to determine the recipients of said alert when it's time to launch it.
   
   
   • Once you create an automated alert for a specific school inside of SwiftK12, you can go back into the sync tool by going to the bottom right of the screen on your operating system, clicking on the “Show hidden icons” up arrow and clicking on the Graduation cap icon.
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • The SwiftK12 sync tool is always running in the background to allow the syncs to run.
   • Once in the sync tool you can change the “School” drop down on the top left of the sync tool window to the school name that you set up the automated alert for.
     
     
     
     
   • Switching to a school from the District Office will add 4 more tabs to display.  Each tab corresponds with that schools automated alerts.
     
     
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   • For example: If you created an attendance alert in SwiftK12 for a given school, when you click on the “Daily Attendance” tab for the school in the sync tool, it will now show that “Alert Name” you created.
     
     SwiftK12 view:
     
     
     
     Corresponding Sync Tool view:
     
     
     
     
   • To configure the sync tool for an automated alert, click the “Configure” button next to the automated alert you wish to sync.
     
     
     
     
   • Click the “Choose File” and choose the file you have going to the corresponding automated alert folder on your computer then click the “Save Configuration” button. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • A “Map Alert Headers” window will appear, this will allow you to map unknown column header names from your SIS to the correct field types in SwiftK12. This is a completely optional feature, and the default format is to have one column header named "Student IDs" where the values are just the Student ID values for the students at that school. This is the ideal format because SwiftK12 can pull the student's contact information for the alert from just their ID.
     
     
     
     
     If you wish to use this feature, this is what you'll need to know:
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   • Click the “Create Mapping” button.
     
     
     
     
   • Click the “Choose Template File” button.
     
     
     
     
   • Select the file in the respective automated alert folder on your computer that you have exported from your SIS.
     
     
     
     There are only two currently supported formats. One is based on Student IDs (the other columns, if any, are not used) and a file containing name column(s), and at least one voice phone, sms phone, and email column. The others would be ignored.
     
     
     
     
   • Choose the mapping that most closely correlates with the fields in your file. 
     
     
     Note: If you have a file that contains student IDs, but you either cannot easily change the column name to "Student IDs", or you can't easily export a file containing your Student IDs without bringing over other columns along with it, check the "Contains ID Column." This will let you set the column containing the Student IDs as such, and tell SwiftK12 to ignore the other columns. 
     
     If you can create a file that just has the column "Student IDs," then you have no need to use the custom mapping feature.
     
     
   • After mapping the field types, click the “Save Mapping” button.
     
     
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   • At this point, whenever a .csv file of the correct name is added to the respective folders (Attendance, Fees, Grades, Lunch), the sync tool will automatically process the update.
   • Please note that when scheduling your SIS to run exports, it is best practice to schedule the exports for 30 minutes prior to when the alert is scheduled to go out from SwiftK12.  This allows ample time to ensure an alert doesn’t go out before the update is done processing.

Note: Please keep in mind that when setting up an automated alert file you must include all field types required for the automated alert you are using.  During the mapping process you will need to have all required fields mapped.  For a list of required fields please go into the automated alert section in SwiftK12 and click the “Upload” button to view the required field types in Blue for each type of alert.

Note: When using the Sync tool, you should only be updating data in your SIS and not directly into SwiftK12, as all data input directly into SwiftK12 will be overwritten on the next sync.

If you require additional assistance with the SwiftK12 Standalone Sync Tool, you can contact our Customer Support Department at [phone] or via email at [e-mail]. We also offer Live Chat from directly within your SwiftK12 portal available from 9AM to 5PM EST.